Fashion logos decoded
Fashion logos decoded
FASHION
DECODED
LOGOS
decoded
Fashion
Logos
decoded
Fashion
logos
Do you know how these super chic logos came about? From Louis Vuitton and Gucci to MCM and Burberry, we look at the origins of the most famous fashion logos in the world.
Do you know how these super chic logos came about? From Louis Vuitton and Gucci to MCM and Burberry, we look at the origins of the most famous fashion logos in the world.
Louis Vuitton was established in 1854 but it wasn’t until 1896 when its world-renowned monogram came about. It was designed by founder Louis Vuitton’s son George as an ode to his father. The interlocking initials “L” and “V” were flanked by symbolic floral motifs: a four-point star (fortune), four-petal flower (joy), and four-point star inside a diamond (passion).
Yayoi Kusama
2012
The Japanese artist’s trademark polka dots
took over everything from bags and
clothes
to accessories.
Former artistic director Kim Jones
teamed up
with the American street
fashion brand for the Spring/Summer
menswear collection. The special edition
included baseball jerseys, parkas,
denim, hoodies and a slew of
accessories.
Supreme
2017
Art world anti-hero Richard Prince’s famous
Nurse painting influenced the
Spring/Summer 2008 women’s show. His Jokes art
series inspired the bags, with messages
printed over reimagined, washed-out monogram
bags.
Richard Prince
2008
Stephen Sprouse
2001
American designer and artist Stephen Sprouse scrawled graffiti over Louis Vuitton’s monogram collection. Eight years later, then-creative director Marc Jacobs paid a posthumous homage to Sprouse with a collection based on his sketch of roses.
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami added
colours to Louis Vuitton's
monogram. He subsequently worked on other
collections including: Panda (2004), Cerises
(2005), MOCA Hands (2007), Monogramouflage
(2008)
and Cosmic Blossom (2010).
2003
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Over the years, the French fashion house's
monogram has been interpreted by artists.
Here are the most noteworthy collaborations
Former artistic director Kim Jones teamed up
with the American street fashion brand for the
Spring/Summer menswear collection. The special
edition included baseball jerseys, parkas,
denim, hoodies and a slew
of
accessories.
Supreme
2017
YAYOI KUSAMA
2012
The Japanese artist’s trademark
polka
dots took over everything from
bags and
clothes to accessories.
Art world anti-hero Richard Prince’s famous
Nurse painting influenced the Spring/Summer
2008 women’s show.
His Jokes art series
inspired the bags, with messages printed over
reimagined, washed-out monogram bags.
Richard Prince
2008
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami added colours to Louis Vuitton's monogram. He subsequently worked on other collections including: Panda (2004), Cerises (2005), MOCA Hands (2007), Monogramouflage (2008) and Cosmic Blossom (2010).
Takashi Murakami
2003
Stephen Sprouse
2001
American designer and artist
Stephen
Sprouse scrawled graffiti over Louis Vuitton’s
monogram collection.
Eight years later,
then-creative director Marc Jacobs paid a
posthumous homage to Sprouse with a collection
based on
his sketch of roses.
Over the years,
the French fashion
house's monogram
has been interpreted
by artists. Here are the most noteworthy
collaborations.
Former artistic director
Kim Jones
teamed up with the American street fashion
brand for the Spring/Summer menswear
collection. The special edition included
baseball jerseys, parkas, denim, hoodies and a
slew of accessories.
Supreme
2017
The Japanese artist’s trademark polka dots took over everything from bags and clothes to accessories.
Yayoi Kusama
2012
Art world anti-hero Richard Prince’s famous
Nurse painting influenced the Spring/Summer
2008 women’s show. His Jokes art series
inspired the bags,
with messages printed
over reimagined, washed-out monogram bags.
Richard Prince
2008
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami added colours to Louis Vuitton's monogram. He subsequently worked on other collections including: Panda (2004), Cerises (2005), MOCA Hands (2007), Monogramouflage (2008) and Cosmic Blossom (2010).
Takashi Murakami
2003
Stephen Sprouse
2001
American designer and artist Stephen Sprouse scrawled graffiti over Louis Vuitton’s monogram collection. Eight years later, then-creative director Marc Jacobs paid a posthumous homage to Sprouse with a collection based on his sketch of roses.
Over the years, the French fashion house's monogram has been interpreted by artists. Here are the most noteworthy collaborations.
Chanel
Gabrielle Chanel designed the interlocking
double “C” logo as a nod to the monastery in
Aubazine, France, where she spent most of her
childhood. The geometric pattern of the
chapel’s stained glass windows was the
inspiration for
the mirrored,
intertwined initials.
Gabrielle Chanel designed the interlocking double “C” logo as a nod to the monastery in Aubazine, France, where she spent most of her childhood. The geometric pattern of the chapel’s stained glass windows was the inspiration for the mirrored, intertwined initials.
Gabrielle Chanel designed the interlocking
double
“C” logo as a nod to the
monastery in Aubazine, France, where she spent
most of her childhood.
The geometric
pattern of the chapel’s stained glass windows
was the inspiration for the mirrored,
intertwined initials.
But there’s also a more romantic interpretation of the logo’s origin. The story has it that the double C only surfaced after the death of her British aristocrat lover Arthur Capel, who was the love of her life. “In losing Capel, I lost everything,” she was said to confide to a friend, lending weight to the theory the logo was a heartbreaking nod to their surnames.
But there’s also a more romantic interpretation of
the logo’s origin. The story has it that the double
C only surfaced after the death of her British
aristocrat lover Arthur Capel, who was the love of
her life. “In losing Capel, I lost everything,”
she was said to confide to a friend, lending
weight to the theory the logo was a heartbreaking
nod to
their surnames.
But there’s also a more romantic interpretation of
the logo’s origin. The story has it that the
double C only surfaced after the death of her
British aristocrat lover Arthur Capel, who was the
love of her life. “In losing Capel, I lost
everything,”
she was said to confide to
a friend, lending weight to the theory the
logo was a heartbreaking nod to
their
surnames.
But there’s also a more romantic interpretation of
the logo’s origin. The story has it that the
double C only surfaced after the death of her
British aristocrat lover Arthur Capel, who was the
love of her life.
“In losing Capel, I lost
everything,” she was said to confide to a friend,
lending weight to the theory the logo was a
heartbreaking nod to their surnames.
Many famous personalities have fallen helplessly for those hypnotic interlocking Cs
Many famous personalities have fallen helplessly for those hypnotic interlocking Cs
Peggy Gou
Korean DJ-record producer Peggy Gou’s
not so subtle play on logomania is a
lesson
on style-making.
Kristen Stewart
Big Bang’s G-Dragon also spots a logo
heart necklace. The difference? He matches
his with a logo brooch.
G-Dragon
JENNIE
Blackpink’s Jennie wears her heart on her sleeves, around her neck and everywhere else. The logo heart locket necklace perfectly matches the quilted logo purse.
Many famous personalities have
fallen
helplessly for those hypnotic interlocking Cs
Actress Kristen Stewart perfectly embodies the spirit of Chanel in monochromatic colours and anchors it with the cutest, tiniest logo.
Many famous personalities have fallen helplessly for those hypnotic interlocking Cs
Korean DJ-record producer Peggy Gou’s not so subtle play on logomania is a lesson on style-making.
Peggy Gou
Kristen Stewart
Actress Kristen Stewart perfectly embodies the spirit of Chanel in monochromatic colours and anchors it with the cutest, tiniest logo.
Big Bang’s G-Dragon also
spots a logo
heart necklace.
The difference? He
matches his with a logo brooch.
G-Dragon
JENNIE
Blackpink’s Jennie wears her heart on her sleeves, around her neck and everywhere else. The logo heart locket necklace perfectly matches the quilted logo purse.
Many famous personalities have fallen helplessly for those hypnotic interlocking Cs
For over 160 years, the image of an equestrian
knight
represented the fashion brand – until
2019, when chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci
tapped art director-graphic designer
Peter
Saville to come up with a monogram logo.
For over 160 years, the image of an equestrian knight represented the fashion brand – until 2019, when chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci tapped art director-graphic designer Peter Saville to come up with a monogram logo.
For over 160 years, the image of
an equestrian
knight represented the
fashion brand – until
2019, when chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci
tapped art director-graphic designer Peter Saville
to come up with a monogram logo.
Combining a reminiscent nod to Burberry’s signature beige plaid with a clever play on the founder’s initials of TB, Saville, together with Tisci, created a new house code.
Combining the founder’s initials – TB – with Burberry’s signature beige plaid, Saville and Tisci created a new house code.
Fur may have fallen out of favour but that hasn’t
put a dent on the appeal of the double F logo
which has gone on to become synonymous with the
Italian
fashion label.
Fur may have fallen out of favour but that hasn’t
put a dent on the appeal of the double F logo
which has gone on to become synonymous with the
Italian
fashion label.
Fur may have fallen
out of favour but
that hasn’t put a dent on the appeal of the
double F logo which has gone on to become
synonymous with the Italian fashion label.
These celebrities can attest
to Fendi’s
charms
These celebrities can attest to Fendi’s charms
These celebrities can attest
to Fendi’s
charms
Avid fans know the MCM acronym comes from the
initials of founder Michael Cromer Munich.
However, after the brand was bought by Korean
fashion retail conglomerate Sungjoo Group,
Cromer got scrubbed out and it became
short for “Modern Creation Munich.”
MCM
Avid fans know the MCM acronym comes from the initials of founder Michael Cromer Munich. However, after the brand was bought by Korean fashion retail conglomerate Sungjoo Group, Cromer got scrubbed out and it became short for “Modern Creation Munich.”
Avid fans know the MCM acronym comes from the initials of founder Michael Cromer Munich. However, after the brand was bought by Korean fashion retail conglomerate Sungjoo Group, Cromer got scrubbed out and it became short for “Modern Creation Munich.”
What remained unchanged is the hand-drawn logo comprising laurel leaves tied together by a ribbon, an homage to the Bavarian king Ludwig I and his passion for neoclassicism. The logo is also part of MCM’s trademark Visetos motif, which was inspired by the striped flag of Bavaria.
What’s remained unchanged is the hand-drawn logo comprising laurel leaves tied together by a ribbon, an homage to the Bavarian king Ludwig I and his passion for neoclassicism. The logo is also part of MCM’s trademark Visetos motif, which was inspired by the striped flag of Bavaria.
What remained unchanged is the hand-drawn logo
comprising laurel leaves tied together by a
ribbon, an homage to the Bavarian king Ludwig
I and his passion for neoclassicism. The logo
is also part of MCM’s trademark Visetos motif,
which was inspired by the striped flag
of Bavaria.
You guessed it – the GG logo of Gucci has to
do
with its founder, Guccio Gucci. His
three sons wanted to pay homage to their
father and decided, quite rightly, that
there’s no better way
to do so than to
put on a spin on his initials.
GuCCI
You guessed it – the GG logo of Gucci has to do with its founder, Guccio Gucci. His three sons wanted to pay homage to their father and decided, quite rightly, that there’s no better way to do so than to put on a spin on his initials.
You guessed it – the GG logo of Gucci
has to do with its founder, Guccio
Gucci.
His three sons wanted to pay
homage to their father and decided, quite
rightly, that there’s no better way to do so
than
to put on a spin on his initials.
Over the years, the logo has been
reimagined as creative expressions:
the
right way up, upside down, a monogram
of
two Gs, repeated ad infinitum, angular Gs
(under Tom Ford’s watch), both Gs facing
the same way (under Alessandro Michele).
Over the years, the logo has been reimagined
as creative expressions:
the right way
up, upside down, a monogram of two Gs,
repeated ad infinitum, angular Gs (under Tom
Ford’s watch), both Gs facing the same way
(under Alessandro Michele).
Surprise, surprise – it wasn’t founder Christian Dior who came up with the monogram for the house, but French fashion designer Marc Bohan. Bohan took over the design reins from Yves Saint Laurent who succeeded Dior after his death.
Surprise, surprise –
it wasn’t founder
Christian Dior who came up with the monogram
for the house, but French fashion designer
Marc Bohan. Bohan took over the design reins
from Yves Saint Laurent
who succeeded
Dior
after his death.
Surprise, surprise – it wasn’t founder Christian Dior who came up with the monogram for the house, but French fashion designer Marc Bohan. Bohan took over the design reins from Yves Saint Laurent who succeeded Dior after his death.
Bohan didn’t take any shortcuts with his
iteration
of the logo. Spelt out in
full, albeit slanted at an angle, the monogram
now comes in many colour variations including
denim blue, cornwall blue,
rose des
vents, burgundy, grey, coffee, black,
beige, off-white and green.
Bohan didn’t take
any shortcuts with his
iteration of the logo. Spelt out in full,
albeit slanted at an angle, the monogram now
comes in many colour variations including
denim blue, cornwall blue, rose des vents,
burgundy, grey, coffee, black, beige,
off-white and green.
Editor
Serene Seow
Interactive design
Jasper Loh
Photos: Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Gucci,
Louis Vuitton & MCM.
Background
animations: Jasper Loh
Photos: Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Gucci,
Louis Vuitton & MCM. Background
animations: Jasper Loh